United States Drug Enforcement Administration

BUFFALO, NY. - Drug Enforcement Administration Acting Special Agent in Charge Wilbert L. Plummer and United States Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Richard Himbury, age 40, of Tonawanda, New York, was arrested for possessing and trafficking in substantial amounts of cocaine and marijuana, in an investigation conducted by federal, state and local law enforcement officials. An additional person was also arrested in connection with the investigation. If convicted of these charges, the defendants face a mandatory term of imprisonment of ten years, a maximum sentence of life, and a $10 million fine.

According to Assistant United States Attorney Michael McCabe, who is handling the prosecution of this case, on November 15, 2011, agents of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration attempted to stop a vehicle driven by Richard Himbury in East Aurora, New York. The defendant sped off at a high rate of speed, but lost control and flipped over his car at the intersection of Route 20-A and Two Rod Road. Along the way, agents recovered four ounces of cocaine which Himbury threw out his car window during the chase.

Continuing their investigation, agents next proceeded to the defendant's residence at 19 St. Amelia Drive, Tonawanda. At this location, agents seized approximately eight kilograms of cocaine, 100 pounds of marijuana, and $120,000 in U.S. currency.

U.S. Attorney Hochul stated: “This week’s arrests and seizures demonstrate that there is a tremendous amount of cocaine and marijuana entering our Western New York community. Fortunately, the many pounds of narcotics successfully seized by law enforcement will no longer be available to pollute our streets or harm our residents. The public and traffickers alike should know that this Office is committed to pursuing traffickers and their sources of supply, and it makes no difference whether such defendants live or operate in our cities, suburban or rural areas, or even if they may be located out of our State or our country.

DEA Acting Special Agent in Charge Wilbert L. Plummer stated, “Over $750,000 worth of illegal drugs were being distributed by this drug trafficking organization throughout our streets in the Buffalo area. DEA and our federal, state and local counterparts have been committed to ridding our community of drug supply, demand and abuse. These arrests also have brought this organization to face to the consequences of their illegal actions to the courtroom full of their peers.

The arrests and seizures were the result of a joint and continuing investigation on the part of Special Agents of the Drug Enforcement (DEA) and Investigators from the Buffalo Police Department, the Lockport Police Department, the Tonawanda Police Department, the Amherst Police Department, the Erie County Sherriff’s Department, the New York State Police, the Lancaster Police Department, the Casino Division of the Cattaraugus County Sherriff’s Department, and the Southern Tier Regional Drug Task Force.

The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.